


As Time Goes By

by DisneyFanatic2364



Series: A Marriage of Inconvenience [3]
Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Anniversary, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Asexuality Spectrum, Canon Asexual Character, Demons, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Hell, Marriage of Convenience, Older Man/Younger Woman, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Platonic Life Partners, Platonic Relationships, Platonic Romance, Queerplatonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28804065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisneyFanatic2364/pseuds/DisneyFanatic2364
Summary: Follow-up one-shot to "Let's Fall in Love." Please read that one first.Alastor's marriage to Tina is one of convenience. Him, so he wouldn't have to be pestered with romance. Her, so she could avoid perverted fans.But he wants to celebrate their anniversary, regardless!
Relationships: Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)/Original Character(s), Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: A Marriage of Inconvenience [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2111838
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	As Time Goes By

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something special for the anniversary of my "Let's Fall in Love" fic. I'd recommend reading that first, as this follows afterwards. The anniversary was last week, but I was busy with the holidays and subsequently changing careers. But I didn't want this story I'd jotted down to go to waste.
> 
> I had this idea for a scene in a full-length sequel fic, but decided it would work better as its own one-shot.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Vivziepop's "Hazbin Hotel" or Frank Sinatra's "Tina"
> 
> Title is based off the song from Casablanca.

Alastor was in a good mood this morning. He must've been, to allow himself to be in such a vulnerable position.

Tina had entered the kitchen in her purple sundress, welcomed by the smell of bacon and eggs, and her husband humming to the tune of "Get Me to the Church on Time." His pinstripe jacket was gone, replaced with an apron that said "Don't Kiss the Cook." The sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up as he held a frying pan in each hand over the stove, occasionally putting them down to sprinkle some herbs.

Peeking out of his suspended trousers was his little deer tail. Red and black, fluffy, and wagging. The cutest aspect of his body he tried so desperately to hide. His back was to her, giving no indication that he'd heard her come in.

Such opportunities were rare.

Smiling to herself, Tina bared her hands and crept up behind him. Alastor yelped as she gave his tail a playful tug. He let go of the pans and covered his derriere too late. Tina's laugh was blended with a bat-like squeak.

"Sorry, Sugar! Couldn't resist!"

Alastor's head turned with a slow _crick_ towards the bat demoness. Tina stopped laughing when she saw radio dials in place of his eyes.

Static accompanied his voice. " _You'll pay for that dearly_."

Before Tina could flee, Alastor grabbed her behind. She squealed. Not from the lewdness of the gesture, but the claws that came with it.

"Remember our agreement, sweetheart." Alastor's eyes and voice returned to normal as he retracted his hand. "If one of us it to touch the other in an unseemly manner, the other is free to return the favor in whatever way they deem fit."

Tina couldn't blame him for it. After all, she'd done the same thing to him the night before their wedding after he'd slapped her behind. On live radio, nonetheless.

"Was worth it," she said, rubbing her behind. "I see you're makin' my fav."

Jazz music came from nowhere as Alastor slid the bacon and sunny-side-up eggs onto two plates. "Only the best for my little wife."

They sat down on either side of their little square breakfast table to eat. Once again, Tina's tastebuds were overwhelmed with the flavor that came with Alastor's cooking. The instrumental of "Get Me to the Church on Time" was still playing as they ate.

Despite their marriage being one of convenience, Alastor wasn't a bad husband. Certainly a step up from Tina's last five relationships, which she hadn't expected to find in Hell. Alastor took good care of her and stepped in whenever she was in a pickle.

Him making breakfast for her every morning hadn't been part of their agreement, but he did it anyway. Tina liked sharing meals with him. Not only was he an amazing cook, but it was a time for them to pull down their façade as a happily married couple and just be themselves around each other. It felt normal. The only part of their marriage that wasn't a lie.

Alastor said they were friends. Civil, but never intimate. Honestly, Tina was okay with it. Although she did wonder sometimes what this marriage would be like if it were more than that. If she hadn't just married him to protect herself from perverted fans. But Alastor had told her repeatedly he wasn't interested in romance. Which was why he'd married her, so demons would stop pestering him with flirtatious advances and matchmaking schemes. So the chances of their relationship becoming anything more than platonic were as likely as sinners going to Heaven.

In Hell, Tina would take what she could get.

Tina was just finishing up her eggs when she noticed Alastor staring at her. His chin sat on his right fist, which held a knife. His smile crinkled the corners of his eyes.

"Ya have that grin on your face."

Alastor snorted. "I _always_ have a grin on my face, dear."

"I've been married to ya long enough to tell your smiles apart, Al." Tina pointed her fork at him. "This is the one ya make when you're up to something." She poked at her bacon strips. "This ain't demon, is it?"

"Darling, does me being up to something always involve murder?"

"No, but it's at least ninety percent of it."

He put down his silverware and leaned his face onto both palms. "Are you aware of what today is?"

Tina took a second to recount the days, which the dead tended to lose track of. "Monday?"

He chuckled. "More specifically?"

"January the 22nd, 2001?"

"Mmm-hmm." He circled his hand in the air. "Keep going."

She glanced at the calendar on the wall, a big red circle was drawn on the current date. "I know Martin Luther King Day was _last_ week."

"Martin who?"

She facepalmed. "Remind me to catch ya up on the Civil Rights Movement."

"As much as I'd _love_ a history lesson from you, sweetheart, I'm afraid today is _much_ more significant."

Tina cocked her head. "It's not your birthday, is it?"

Alastor sighed and dropped his hands. "I suppose you wouldn't remember. We never did discuss celebrating."

"Celebrating what?"

"Take it in, dear." He gestured to the table. "Does this particular scene remind you of anything?"

The music turned up. Tina wondered why Alastor had picked this particular song for the ambience. The last time he'd played "Get Me to the Church on Time" had been at their joint bachelor/bachelorette party, of which they'd performed a duet.

She noticed him pointing expectantly at their breakfast, as if that was supposed to clue her in on what this was all about. There wasn't really anything special about bacon and eggs, other than it being her favorite. She'd mentioned it during her stand-up routine, the night they'd first met. Thus, Alastor had known to make it for her the morning after he'd proposed.

Tina looked back at the calendar, counting the days after the last Extermination. Then she slowly realized what day it was.

"Surprise!" Alastor brought a box wrapped in red paper and purple ribbon out of thin air. " _Joyeux anniversaire de mariage, mon épouse!_ "

Her suspicions were confirmed. "Has it been a year already?"

"Ha-ha! And what a year it's been!" He set the box in front of her plate. "Well, go on! Open it!"

Alastor had given Tina gifts before, mostly for the sake of appearances. They hadn't even celebrated Christmas, which was actually normal in Hell. So she certainly hadn't expected him to get her a gift for their wedding anniversary. Or even acknowledge the occasion.

Tina pulled at the ribbon and tore through the wrapping. The claws made it easier. She opened the lid of a cardboard box and was met with the sight of purple Oxford heels, the kind women wore in the 1930's, trimmed with red fur.

"Shoes?"

"Don't you remember?" Alastor lifted the heels out of the box. "The night I rescued you from those hooligans who meant to defile you, you ruined your only pair. Now that you're with me, I'll make certain you never find yourself without footwear ever again!"

Tina was stunned as she took the shoes from him. "Th-Thanks, Al." Her cheeks reddened. "S-Sorry, I…didn't get _you_ anything."

"That's quite alright, dear!" He waved his hand. "The entertainment you provide me is gift enough!"

Still, she was touched that Alastor had even thought to get her something to mark their anniversary. Let alone something that held personal value and was in her favorite color. While there was no love between her and her husband, Tina felt guilty for not remembering the date. Perhaps it was the social conventions of marriage that brought on this guilt. Or the fact that Alastor did so much for her, and she rarely did anything for him. He was still her husband, and she did like him. And that came with certain obligations, regardless of feelings.

But what could she get him? He never needed to do any real shopping. He only did it out of boredom. He could snap up anything he wanted with his Vodou magic. That was probably where he'd gotten the shoes.

She thought back to the night he'd proposed to her. They'd asked each other a lot of questions. Some had been answered since, others not. One of them had been concerning her name.

"Hold on." She put down the shoes. "I just had an idea."

Tina led him to the music room. They often played there together, though Tina could only play the piano, while Alastor played at least four different instruments, including something he called the Furby organ—definitely _not_ Tina's favorite.

She sat down at the piano and patted the spot on the bench next to her. Interested to see what she had planned, Alastor joined her. There was no music on the stand, but Tina didn't need it. She'd memorized the song by heart.

Closing her eyes, she placed her fingers on the keys and began to play a slow, soulful melody.

After about four bars of instrumental, Tina began to sing:

" _You simply can't forget her,_ _  
_ _The moment you have met her._ _  
_ _Your heart will never, ever be the same._

 _"_ _Tina, Tina, nobody else but Tina._ _  
__That's the little lady's name._ _"_

Alastor understood now. Tina had mentioned her mother naming her after a particular song someone named Sinatra had sung about his daughter. Tina had refused to sing it to Alastor then. Now that they'd known each other for a year, she was finally offering this little piece of herself.

 _What a lovely gift_ , he thought. He leaned his elbow onto the edge of the piano, settled his cheek on his fist and watched his beautiful wife continue the song.

Yes, Alastor admitted it. Even a blind man could see that Tina was beautiful. All he'd have to do was hear her voice. It was like an angel's. Not just in sound, but in emotion. There was a passion in her music. She didn't just sing the song, she moved with it. Her head swaying, her fingers dancing, her voice dipping to the lowest notes before reaching the highest. Music was one of the few things that made her forget where she was.

Alastor knew this, because it was the same for him.

Perhaps that's why he'd grown so fond of her. In a way, they were kindred spirits. Both music lovers, both performers, both passionate about their work. He'd always considered himself a solo act, but the house was less quiet with a second voice. And the table was less empty with another person filling a seat.

Alastor knew he would never see Heaven. But he could imagine it would be something like this.

When Tina finished the song, Alastor had to wipe away a stray tear before she could call him out on it.

"That was lovely, my dear," he said sincerely. "I can see why your mother blessed you with that name."

Tina blushed. "Was the only thing I could think to give you."

"There is no better gift than that celestial voice of yours, _chère_. I could listen to it all day. In fact!" He summoned his microphone. "Would you mind singing it again? I'd like to record it."

Tina obliged and started again. Alastor's eyelids drooped as he watched her, his mouth closing to form a small, content smile. He could see Tina's lips forming one as well as she continuously glanced his way between verses.

This was all Alastor had wanted. To see her smile. Hers was a precious one he strived to bring to her face every day. If she smiled when they were alone, he knew it was genuine.

"Thank you, my dear," Alastor said, making the microphone disappear once the performance was done. "I will treasure it always."

Tina tucked a strand of black hair out of her face. "Y-You don't have to do that."

"Oh, but I _want_ to, my dear!" He began talking with his hands, as he tended to do when excited. "But the festivities aren't over yet! For dinner tonight, we'll go to any restaurant of your choosing! Or, if you prefer, we can stay here and I'll whip up some peach cobbler for dessert!"

"You hate peach cobbler."

He booped her nose. "But _you_ don't!"

"Al, ya know I perform Monday nights at Mimzy's."

"Oh, you needn't worry about that! I already took the liberty of asking Mimzy to give you the night off! She was very understanding once I explained it was our anniversary!"

"Yeah, I've been meanin' to ask." Tina crossed her arms. "Why celebrate our anniversary? Our marriage isn't exactly…normal. I didn't think you cared about stuff like that."

Alastor blinked, lowering his hands. "It is true, my dear. We are not in love like most couples."

He gently took her hands, his eyes assuring her that he did not mean anything untoward in this gesture. "But I _do_ like being married to you, Tina. I don't believe I say it often enough, so I thought today would be the perfect opportunity to show you."

Tina smirked. "Our marriage certainly ain't _boring_ , that's for sure."

He chuckled. "So I take it you don't hate me as much as you say?"

"When have I ever said that?"

Alastor shrugged. "Well, you never say the opposite either. It's difficult to know what you're thinking sometimes."

"I could say the same thing about _you_."

"True." His cheeks grew redder. "Even so, a year ago, I promised to make you happy, despite our circumstances. You rarely smile at home, so how can I know? So, I must ask. _Are_ you happy, my dear?"

Just as he had taken her hands, Tina did the same thing right back, in accordance with their deal. She curled her fingers into his, locking their hands together.

Then she gave him a smile. "Does _this_ answer your question?"

* * *

For dinner, Alastor dressed himself in a red tuxedo, similar to the one he'd married in. Tina changed into the classic black dress she'd worn the night they'd met. Alastor prepared a three-course meal and brought out his best bottle of Pinot Noir.

The food was spread on the dining room table. Their wedding song "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" played on a record. The perfect romantic atmosphere. If this situation was anything of the kind.

"Not demon blood, is it?" Tina quipped as he poured the wine into her glass.

"Darling, I'm hurt!" He put a hand to his chest. "In the year we've been married, have I ever tricked you into drinking blood?"

She raised an eyebrow. " _Have_ ya?"

"Ha-ha! I've always admired your sense of humor, dear!"

Alastor poured his own glass.

"Ya still haven't answered the question."

"Haven't I?"

Tina scowled. "I could do without _your_ sense of humor."

"Ha-ha!" He sat beside her at the head of the table and raised his glass. "To a successful first year."

She rolled her eyes and clinked her glass with his. "Give it a couple more. We'll get sick of each other eventually."

" _Moi?_ Sick of _you_?" Alastor snorted. "Never!"

* * *

_Ten Years Later_

Alastor sat alone at the dining room table. No plate was set. Only a wine glass and a bottle of Pinot Noir. He leaned onto his palm as he filled the glass to the brim.

Her voice played from the old record:

" _You simply can't forget her,_ _  
_ _The moment you have met her…_ _"_

His dull eyes focused on the empty chair beside him. A carefully wrapped gift box sat in front of it. Inside was a pair of purple loafers. After all the heels he'd given her, she'd often talked of having more comfortable shoes to wear around the house.

Alastor looked at the grandfather clock. The long hand was ticking closer to the big hand on the twelve. He let his smile drop as her name entered his ears repeatedly, thanks to the record.

He had really hoped she'd come. At least tonight, of all nights.

Before the clock could strike midnight, Alastor raised his glass to the empty seat. "Happy Anniversary, my dear Tina."

**Author's Note:**

> Be sure to follow me, as I have more short and long fics planned for this couple, including one for Valentine's Day.


End file.
